DOCSLIB.ORG

CAPE VERDE WARBLER Acrocephalus Brevipennis Second Field Season - 2014

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
CAPE VERDE WARBLER Acrocephalus Brevipennis Second Field Season - 2014 CONSERVATION, ECOLOGY AND GENETICS OF THE CAPE VERDE WARBLER Acrocephalus brevipennis Second field season - 2014 Report on fieldwork in Cape Verde For the African Bird Club © Torbjörn Blixt Colour-ringed Cape Verde warbler, Acrocephalus brevipennis, S. Nicolau, September 2014 Helena Reis Batalha University of East Anglia April 2017 Project details Supervisors Dr. David S. Richardson (Primary supervisor, UEA); Dr. Iain Barr (Co-supervisor, UEA); Dr. Nigel J. Collar (Case partner, BirdLife International); Dr. Paul F. Donald (Advisor, RSPB). Team leader and report writer Helena Reis Batalha Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich Research Par NR4 7TJ Norwich United Kingdom Field assistants Naya Ifigénia Correia Sena (Cape Verde), Torbjörn Blixt (Sweden) & Jeroen Arnoys (Belgium). Citation Batalha, H. (2017). Conservation, ecology and genetics of the Cape Verde warbler Acrocephalus brevipennis – second field season - 2014: Report on fieldwork in Cape Verde for the African Bird Club. Unpublished report, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK. Work done under the permit 35/2014 issued by the General Direction for the Environment, Achada Santo António, CP 332-A, Praia, Cape Verde Republic. April 2017 Funding and support 2 Table of Contents Project details ........................................................................................................................... 2 Funding and support ............................................................................................................... 2 1. Introduction and aims ..................................................................................................... 4 2. Project activities and outcomes....................................................................................... 5 Habitat ........................................................................................................................ 5 Blood samples ............................................................................................................ 5 S. Nicolau ................................................................................................................... 6 Santo Antão ................................................................................................................ 6 Morphology, parasites and song ................................................................................ 7 Collaboration with national stakeholders and technicians ......................................... 7 3. Conclusions ....................................................................................................................... 9 Appendix ................................................................................................................................. 10 1. Expenses .......................................................................................................................... 10 2. Tables .............................................................................................................................. 10 3. Maps ................................................................................................................................ 13 Habitat ...................................................................................................................... 13 Blood samples .......................................................................................................... 18 Santo Antão .............................................................................................................. 22 4. Fieldwork photos ............................................................................................................ 23 Santiago.................................................................................................................... 23 Fogo ......................................................................................................................... 29 S. Nicolau ................................................................................................................. 35 Santo Antão .............................................................................................................. 41 References ............................................................................................................................... 43 3 1. Introduction and aims The Cape Verde warbler Acrocephalus brevipennis is an endemic bird of this archipelago classified as "endangered" (BirdLife International 2016). It currently exists on Santiago, Fogo and S. Nicolau (Batalha et al. 2017). Our team at the University of East Anglia is currently studying the conservation, ecology and genetics of this endemic passerine as part of a PhD project. We undertook a very successful first field season in Cape Verde in 2013, with the main aim of collecting blood samples for genetic analyses (see Batalha 2014 report). In 2014, we returned to Cape Verde with the main aim of collecting Cape Verde warbler habitat data and increasing blood sample size. We collected habitat, blood and morphometric data between September and December 2014. As previously, we identified each sampled bird individually with metal and colour-rings and recorded bird songs when possible. All the work was done together with relevant national stakeholders in Cape Verde and national and international field assistants. The data collected was analysed, and the analyses produced one scientific article and a PhD thesis. These publications have the ultimate goal of disseminating information on this endemic bird and informing future conservation measures. In this report, we present the data collected during the field season of 2014. The main aims of this second field season were the following: 1. Collect habitat data on a minimum of 15 locations per island – ten locations where the warbler was present and five from where the warbler was absent 2. Increase blood sample size - particularly on S. Nicolau where we only had collected blood from 15 birds in 2013 3. Confirm the size and area of occurrence of the population of S. Nicolau 4. Survey the island of Santo Antão for warblers 5. Record data on biometrics, moult, breeding stage and parasites and additional male songs - minimum of five birds per island 6. Strengthen collaborations with local stakeholders and technicians 4 2. Project activities and outcomes Habitat During this field season we prioritized systematic habitat data collection. We collected habitat data on 63 independent locations across the three islands: 29 locations on Santiago, 17 on Fogo and 17 on S. Nicolau. On each location, a minimum of three and a maximum of four 10x10 m terrain plots were sampled. On each plot, we waited a total of ten minutes (first five in silence and the last five with a male Cape Verde warbler playback) to see if the warblers were using the plot. If the birds came to the plot, whether spontaneously or by reacting to the playback, it was considered a positive plot. If the birds did not come, it was considered a negative plot. On each location we could have all positive plots, all negative plots or positive and negative plots combined. Within each plot, we recorded the elevation, slope, maximum bare ground cover, maximum shade cover, maximum cover of four different vegetation types (trees, reeds, woody shrubs and herbaceous shrubs), average maximum vegetation height (average of five points), average branch and stem diameter at breast height (average of 20 stems/branches/trunks), maximum vegetation height of four vegetation types (trees, reeds, woody shrubs and herbaceous shrubs), and average maximum number of insects on 625cm2 (the size of an A4 paper) of leaves and branches (average of four points). Blood samples We caught and ringed Cape Verde warblers as previously. We used mist nets, attracting them with male songs from their respective island. Each bird received a numbered metal ring and a unique combination of three colour rings resistant to UV radiation (Redfern & Clark 2001; see Table 4 in Appendix). All rings had an internal diameter of 2.3 mm and were applied to the birds’ tarsus. The metal rings were created especially for Cape Verde, together with Biosfera I, with the address die M. Amb. C. Verde (Cape Verde Ministery of Environment). The colour ringing scheme has been submitted to the platform European Colour-ring Birding, and are available online at http://www.cr-birding.org/node/2651. We increased our sample sizes to 65 Cape Verde warblers for Santiago, 43 for Fogo and 30 for S. Nicolau. All birds were ringed, measured, and blood samples were collected by puncture from the brachial vein and stored in 100% ethanol. During one week in September 2014, we thoroughly searched all the valleys with potential suitable habitat on Santo Antão with the collaboration of Emitério Ramos and Gilda Monteiro from the Protected Areas of Santo Antão. Unfortunately, no warblers were found, confirming the results from previous searches by the staff of the Protected Areas of Santo Antão. 5 S. Nicolau The population of S. Nicolau was the first to be discovered, in the 1860s (Dohrn 1871). At that time, the Cape Verde warbler was said to be “numerous” and to be living mostly in the reed patches on valleys and slopes of that island. After 1924, it was not seen again for many decades and thought to be extinct (Hazevoet 1995). However, one specimen collected in 1970 was discovered in a museum in Lisbon, and further searches revealed
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A New Subspecies of Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus Scirpaceus in Egypt
    Jens Hering et al. 101 Bull. B.O.C. 2016 136(2) A new subspecies of Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus in Egypt by Jens Hering, Hans Winkler & Frank D. Steinheimer Received 4 December 2015 Summary.—A new subspecies of European Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus is described from the Egypt / Libya border region in the northern Sahara. Intensive studies revealed the new form to be clearly diagnosable within the Eurasian / African Reed Warbler superspecies, especially in biometrics, habitat, breeding biology and behaviour. The range of this sedentary form lies entirely below sea level, in the large depressions of the eastern Libyan Desert, in Qattara, Siwa, Sitra and Al Jaghbub. The most important field characters are the short wings and tarsi, which are significantly different from closely related A. s. scirpaceus, A. s. fuscus and A. s. avicenniae, less so from A. baeticatus cinnamomeus, which is more clearly separated by behaviour / nest sites and toe length. Molecular genetic analyses determined that uncorrected distances to A. s. scirpaceus are 1.0–1.3%, to avicenniae 1.1–1.5% and to fuscus 0.3–1.2%. The song is similar to that of other Eurasian Reed Warbler taxa as well as that of African Reed Warbler A. baeticatus, but the succession of individual elements appears slower than in A. s. scirpaceus and therefore shows more resemblance to A. s. avicenniae. Among the new subspecies’ unique traits are that its preferred breeding habitat in the Siwa Oasis complex, besides stands of reed, is date palms and olive trees. A breeding density of 107 territories per 10 ha was recorded in the cultivated area.
    [Show full text]
  • AERC Wplist July 2015
    AERC Western Palearctic list, July 2015 About the list: 1) The limits of the Western Palearctic region follow for convenience the limits defined in the “Birds of the Western Palearctic” (BWP) series (Oxford University Press). 2) The AERC WP list follows the systematics of Voous (1973; 1977a; 1977b) modified by the changes listed in the AERC TAC systematic recommendations published online on the AERC web site. For species not in Voous (a few introduced or accidental species) the default systematics is the IOC world bird list. 3) Only species either admitted into an "official" national list (for countries with a national avifaunistic commission or national rarities committee) or whose occurrence in the WP has been published in detail (description or photo and circumstances allowing review of the evidence, usually in a journal) have been admitted on the list. Category D species have not been admitted. 4) The information in the "remarks" column is by no mean exhaustive. It is aimed at providing some supporting information for the species whose status on the WP list is less well known than average. This is obviously a subjective criterion. Citation: Crochet P.-A., Joynt G. (2015). AERC list of Western Palearctic birds. July 2015 version. Available at http://www.aerc.eu/tac.html Families Voous sequence 2015 INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME remarks changes since last edition ORDER STRUTHIONIFORMES OSTRICHES Family Struthionidae Ostrich Struthio camelus ORDER ANSERIFORMES DUCKS, GEESE, SWANS Family Anatidae Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor cat. A/D in Morocco (flock of 11-12 suggesting natural vagrancy, hence accepted here) Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica cat.
    [Show full text]
  • BB List 2016V1
    The British Birds list of Western Palearctic Birds Struthionidae Common Ostrich Struthio camelus Anatidae Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica Mute Swan Cygnus olor AC2 Black Swan Cygnus atratus Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus A Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus A Bean Goose Anser fabalis A Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus A White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons A Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus A* Greylag Goose Anser anser AC2C4 Snow Goose Anser caerulescens AC2 Ross’s Goose Anser rossii D* Canada Goose Branta canadensis AC2 Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis AC2 Brent Goose Branta bernicla A Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis A* Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca C1 Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea BD* Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna A Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis Knob-billed Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus Wood Duck Aix sponsa Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata C1 Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope A American Wigeon Anas americana A Falcated Duck Anas falcata D* Gadwall Anas strepera AC2 Baikal Teal Anas formosa A* Eurasian Teal Anas crecca A Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis A Cape Teal Anas capensis Mallard Anas platyrhynchos AC2C4 Black Duck Anas rubripes A* Pintail Anas acuta A Red-billed Duck Anas erythrorhyncha Garganey Anas querquedula A Blue-winged Teal Anas discors A* Shoveler Anas clypeata A Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina AC2 Southern Pochard
    [Show full text]
  • Cape Verde Warbler Research
    CONSERVATION, ECOLOGY AND GENETICS OF THE CAPE VERDE WARBLER Acrocephalus brevipennis Report for African Bird Club on fieldwork in Cape Verde November 2013 to January 2014 © Josh Jenkins Shaw Helena Reis Batalha University of East Anglia April 2014 Project details Supervisors Dr. David S. Richardson (Primary supervisor, UEA); Dr. Iain Barr (Co-supervisor, UEA); Dr. Nigel J. Collar (Case partner, BirdLife International); Dr. Paul F. Donald (Advisor, RSPB). Team leader and report writer Helena Reis Batalha Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich Research Park NR4 7TJ Norwich United Kingdom Field assistants Jaelsa Mira Moreira (Cape Verde), Andrew Power (Ireland), Josh Jenkins Shaw (United Kingdom) & Jeroen Arnoys (Belgium). Citation Batalha, H. (2014). Conservation, ecology and genetics of the Cape Verde warbler Acrocephalus brevipennis: Report for African Bird Club on fieldwork in Cape Verde, November 2013 to January 2014. Unpublished report, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK. Work done under the permit 36/2013 issued by the General Direction for the Environment, Achada Santo António, CP 332-A, Praia, Cape Verde Republic. April 2014 Funding and support Table of Contents Project details ........................................................................................................................... 2 Funding and support ............................................................................................................... 2 1. Introduction and
    [Show full text]
  • Cabo Verde Ramsar Information Sheet Published on 18 November 2016 Update Version, Previously Published on 18 July 2005
    RIS for Site no. 1577, Lagoa de Pedra Badejo, Cabo Verde Ramsar Information Sheet Published on 18 November 2016 Update version, previously published on 18 July 2005 Cabo Verde Lagoa de Pedra Badejo Designation date 18 July 2005 Site number 1577 Coordinates 15°05'59"N 23°32'12"W Area 666,07 ha https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1577 Created by RSIS V.1.7 on - 1 December 2016 RIS for Site no. 1577, Lagoa de Pedra Badejo, Cabo Verde Color codes Fields back-shaded in light blue relate to data and information required only for RIS updates. Note that some fields concerning aspects of Part 3, the Ecological Character Description of the RIS (tinted in purple), are not expected to be completed as part of a standard RIS, but are included for completeness so as to provide the requested consistency between the RIS and the format of a ‘full’ Ecological Character Description, as adopted in Resolution X.15 (2008). If a Contracting Party does have information available that is relevant to these fields (for example from a national format Ecological Character Description) it may, if it wishes to, include information in these additional fields. 1 - Summary Summary The Lagoas de Pedro Badejo wetland is made up of two coastal lagoons on the estuary of two watercourses and the entire basin of one of the watercourses as far as the Poilão reservoir. The lagoons represent an environment of high ecological value for birds, since they contain fresh or slightly brackish water. Since it was flooded, this reservoir has also become an exceptional area for migratory waterbirds and birds endemic to Cape Verde such as the Cape Verde heron (Ardea bournei ) and the Cape Verde swamp-warbler (Acrocephalus brevipennis).
    [Show full text]
  • Acrocephalus and Hippolais Warblers from the Western Palearctic David T
    Species limits in Acrocephalus and Hippolais warblers from the Western Palearctic David T. Parkin, Martin Collinson, Andreas J. Helbig, Alan G. Knox, George Sangster and Lars Svensson Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Richard Johnson ABSTRACT The taxonomic affiliations within the genera Acrocephalus and Hippolais have long been a matter for debate. Recent molecular and behavioural studies have provided a wealth of new data which can be used to analyse the evolutionary relationships of the Palearctic taxa in these genera. In this paper, we make a series of recommendations for changes in species limits, highlight some problem areas and discuss situations where more research is needed. 276 © British Birds 97 • June 2004 • 276-299 Species limits in Acrocephalus and Hippolais warblers Introduction dering array of small and difficult birds (for long period of taxonomic stability fol- example Emei Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus lowed the publication of the ‘Voous List’ emeiensis, Alström & Olsson 1995; the chiffchaff Afor Holarctic birds (Voous 1977), but in complex, Helbig et al. 1996; and the Greenish recent years there have been dramatic advances Warbler P. trochiloides, Irwin et al. 2001a,b,c), in our knowledge of the evolutionary relation- which has led to an improved understanding of ships of birds, leading to a period of activity their evolution, and hence their taxonomic rela- that shows no sign of abating. These advances tionships. This paper draws together some stem largely from new and exciting ways to recent studies which together provide a clearer study birds, both in the field and in the labora- picture of an especially complex group, the tory.
    [Show full text]
  • Sea to Sahara: Cape Verde, Canary Islands & Morocco WILDLIFE
    Sea to Sahara: Cape Verde, Canary Islands & Morocco WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS (Birds & Mammals) Compiled by Jim Wilson Note: Species listed in order of us first seeing them. April MAMMALS 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 1 Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae X 2 Spinner Dolphin Stenella longirostris X X 3 Atlantic Spotted Dolphin Stenella frontali X X 4 Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus X 5 Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus X 6 Striped Dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba X BIRDS 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 1 Brown Booby Sula leucogaster X X X 2 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis X X X X X X X 3 Little Egret Egretta garzetta X X X X 4 Cape Verde Common Buzzard Buteo bannermani X 5 Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus alexandri X X X 6 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola X X 7 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres X X X 8 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus X X X 9 Feral Pigeon Columba livia (domestic) X X X X X X X X X X X 10 Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto X X X X X X X X 11 Cape Verde Swift Apus alexandri X X X X 12 Grey-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala acteon X X X Ammomanes cinctura X 13 Bar-tailed Lark cinctura 14 Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla X X X X X X X X 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 15 Cape Verde Warbler Acrocephalus brevipennis X 16 Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis X X X X 17 Cape Verde Sparrow Passer iagoensis X X X X 18 Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis X X X X 19 Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus X X 20 Sanderling Calidris alba X X X 21 Western Barn Owl Tyto alba detorta X X Boyd’s Shearwater Puffinus boydi X 22 (Macaronesian) 23 Cape Verde Shearwater Calonectris edwardsii X 24 Bulwer’s Petrel Bulweria bulwerii X X 25 Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula X X 26 Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus neglectus X 27 Osprey (Western) Pandion haliaetus X 28 Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris borealis X X X X 29 Northern Gannet Morus bassanus X X X X X 30 Tern Sp.
    [Show full text]
  • Restricted-Range Bird Species Listed by Family
    APPENDIX 1: Restricted-range bird species listed by family NCLUDED here are all the landbird species treated Threat codes Ias having restricted ranges, listed with the coun- 0 Unknown tries in which they breed (but omitting countries in 1 Loss or alteration of habitat 2 Hunting, persecution, egg-collecting (subsistence) which all populations originate from introductions), 3 Disturbance (by humans, stock) the Endemic Bird Areas (and Secondary Areas) in 4 Pollution, pesticides, poisoning which they occur, the broad habitat-types which they 5 Introduced species (predators, competitors, herbivores, prefer, their status and (for those which are classified diseases) 6 Trade, egg-collecting (commercial) as threatened) the major threats which affect them. 7 Natural causes (exacerbated by other influences) Some species are of unknown provenance, and these 8 Small range or population are listed on p. 724. Notes Habitat codes * Taxonomy deviates from Sibley and Monroe (1990, F All forest and D Desert 1993); see EBA (or Secondary Area) account for further woodland types R Rocky areas details and references. The relationship of the new genus S Scrub A Agricultural areas Cryptosylvicola (p. 708) within Sylviinae is unconfirmed, V Savanna X Introduced vegetation and so it has been placed at the end of that subfamily. G Grassland Z Unknown X Extinct in that country or in that EBA/SA. W Wetland 1 Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Guadeloupe (to France), Martinique (to France), Montserrat (to UK), Netherlands Status Antilles (to Netherlands), Puerto Rico (to USA), St Lucia, IUCN Red List Categories have been used as applied by Virgin Islands (to UK), Virgin Islands (to USA).
    [Show full text]
  • Implications for Conservation Helena Reis Batalha
    Variation within and among populations of the endangered Cape Verde warbler: implications for conservation Helena Reis Batalha A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia, UK March 2017 © This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author and that use of any information derived there from must be in accordance with current UK Copyright Law. In addition, any quotation or extract must include full attribution. This thesis is dedicated to Cornelis J. Hazevoet, who did so much for ornithology in Cape Verde and for the Cape Verde warbler in particular. ii Abstract In this thesis, I investigate variation among the three remaining populations of the Cape Verde warbler Acrocephalus brevipennis, with the aim of defining conservation units and thus informing conservation. I used neutral molecular markers to assess genetic diversity and infer the evolutionary history and adaptive potential of the populations. I found a gradient of diversity from the largest population of Santiago to the smallest one of S. Nicolau, which has been isolated from the populations of Santiago and Fogo for longer than those have been isolated from each other. I measured differences in male song between the populations and whether individuals behaved differently when exposed to songs from the other populations, to determine if song might play a role in reproductive isolation. While there is high intra- population variability in male song, birds do not react differently to songs of males from other populations.
    [Show full text]
  • Brit. Birds 81: 355-377; Ibis 130: Supplement), the Ibritish Ornithologists' Union's Records Committee Put Forward Proposals (Based on Groundwork by the Late P
    British Birds VOLUME 85 NUMBER 6 JUNE 1992 English names of West Palearctic birds T. P. Inskipp and J. T. R. Sharrock on behalf of the BOU Records Committee and 'British Birds' n a previous paper [Brit. Birds 81: 355-377; Ibis 130: Supplement), the IBritish Ornithologists' Union's Records Committee put forward proposals (based on groundwork by the late P. J. Grant, TPI and JTRS) for revising the names of birds on the West Palearctic list and invited comments and counter­ proposals from the world's English-speaking ornithologists. Over 200 people responded, with suggestions and mostly constructive criticism. In December 1990, a Round Table Discussion on the world standardisation of English names was convened by P. William Smith at the XX International Ornithological Congress held in Christchurch, New Zealand. As a result, a Working Group on English names was officially formed, under the auspices of the IOC and the chairmanship of Burt L. Monroe Jr, with the remit from the IOC to make proposals for a single list of standardised English names for the world's birds. It was agreed that the base-line for these names should be those in the recently published book, Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the \lirit. Bird* 85: 263-290, Jura- 1992| 263 264 English names of West Pakarctic birds World (1990) by Charles G. Sibley & Burt L. Monroe Jr, which had benefited from advice given by an international group of 15 ornithologists {including JTRS). Following the IOC meeting, TPI and JTRS analysed the responses to the earlier paper, and made modified proposals, taking into consideration not only the comments received from BOU members and British Birds readers, but also the implications of the names adopted by Sibley & Monroe (1990).
    [Show full text]
  • The Cape Verde Warbler: Distribution, Density, Habitat and Breeding Biology on the Island of Fogo Jens Hering and Elmar Fuchs
    The Cape Verde Warbler: distribution, density, habitat and breeding biology on the island of Fogo Jens Hering and Elmar Fuchs ABSTRACT An expedition to the newly discovered breeding grounds of the Cape Verde Warbler Acrocephalus brevipennis, on the island of Fogo, Cape Verde, in October 2006, established that the species is widespread in the northern part of the island. Some 129 territories were mapped and the mean regional population density was 6.5 territories per 100 ha. A total island population of at least 500 breeding pairs is estimated. An analysis of the species’ habitat preferences showed that it occurs predominantly in coffee plantations, especially those intermixed with large fruit trees and bushes, and other introduced crops, especially maize. Spanish Flag Lantana camara is also an important habitat element, especially at higher levels and in inaccessible gorges. Cape Verde Warbler was not found in areas of introduced trees above the cultivation zone, although it breeds in similar habitat on Santiago island. Nine nests were found and described, and breeding behaviour at the nest studied.The species probably bred on Fogo prior to human settlement and has subsequently adapted to coffee plantations. If coffee crop management remains unchanged, the long-term survival of the Cape Verde Warbler on Fogo appears not to be under threat. rior to 2006, the breeding population Warbler was known from, it was last sighted in of Cape Verde Warbler Acrocephalus 1969 (Frade 1976; Hazevoet 1993, 1995), a Pbrevipennis, which is endemic to the Cape victim of desertification, habitat destruction Verde archipelago, was estimated at a maximum and increased predator pressure (from rats – of 500 pairs, and thought to be restricted largely both Black Rattus rattus and Brown Rats to the island of Santiago, where it is declining R.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cape Verde Islands
    Report of a Birding Trip to The Cape Verde Islands from 20 th March to 27 th March 2009 Participants: Vaughan Ashby, Svetlana Ashby, Cock Blouw, Ernie Davis, Kevin Davis, John Dyer, Alan Hands, Cor Hopman, Thierry Jansen, Dominic Mitchell, Jan van der Laan, Huig Ouwehand, Barry Smithson, Peter Taylor, Nigel Warren and Jan van der Zee. Male Magnificent Frigatebird – Fregata magnificens; 26 March 2009, Curral Velho, Boavista © Jan van der Laan © Jan van der Laan 2009 Introduction Between 20 th and 27 th March 2009 I made a birding trip with Cor Hopman to the Cape Verde Islands. After seeing an advertisement in Birding World, we decided to join a trip with Birdfinders (www.birdfinders.co.uk ). This proved to be an excellent choice. It was even cheaper than doing it individually, since charters from London are much cheaper than the regular flights between Amsterdam and the Cape Verde Islands. Moreover we had a wonderful group, with six birders from the Netherlands, nine from the UK and one from Russia. © http://www.capeverde-a.com/cape_verde_islands_map.shtml The Cape Verde Islands were on my wish list ever since the Birds of The Western Palearctic were published. These strange islands in the left down corner always had a certain attraction on me. Moreover, the first color prints in the Dutch Birding Magazine were about the Cape Verde Islands, with pictures of the highly restricted Raso Lark. 10 Years later, Kees Hazevoet published his Checklist to the Birds of the Cape Verde Islands, being the first publication on the Western Palearctic using the phylogenetic species concept (PSC).
    [Show full text]